Spring winder and the like



April 16, 1929. H. J. BRAGDON 1,709,707

SPRING WINDER AND THE LIKE Filed May 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

April 16, 1929. H. J. BRAGDON 7 1,709,707

SPRING WINDER AND THE LIKE Filed May 28, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 i\\\\\\\l I V I A III/ I mm;

Patented Apr. 16, 1929.

U N I ears HERBERT J". BRAGDON, OF CHICAGO, ILLIIJOIS, ASSIGNOR TOCHESTER .A; TUSRBIIT, OF

' MADISON, WISCONSIN. i

' srnrive, WINDER AND THE LIKE. f

Application filed May 28,

This invention has to do with improve ments in spring winders and thelike. The invention relates particularly to spring winders for handoperation and vior the winding of springs of various sizes. The mainobject of the invention is to provide a very simple 'andreliablemachine, and one which shall be I very rugged and durable, capable ofeasily winding springs or" various diameters and made fromvarious s zesof wire withln the capacity of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which can bevery easily changed so as to win'd springs of different di ameters. Inthis connection the change in the diameter of the spring is produced bythe substitution of a difierent arbor of proper size. The machine is soconstructed that the 'arbors can be very easily set into place andconnected to the operating handle.

Another object is to provide an improved tensioning device forregulating the amount of tension exerted on the wire as the same isdrawn up onto the arbor or mandrel. This tension device includeshardened steel die plates the pressure between which may be readilyregulatedby a hand screw or wheel. The arrangement is such that ifdesired, and from'time to time, difi'erent or renewal die plates can besubstiuted without diliiculty, Other objects and uses of the inventionwill appear from a detailed description of the same which consists inthe features of con struction and combinations'of parts hereinafterdescribed andclaimed.

In the drawings: V V

Figure 1 shows a top view of a machine embodying the features oftheinvention this view being partly in perspective so as to bet-' tershow the construction of the machine. In Fig. l the presser bar is beingused so-as to wind a loose turn spring such as is used for compressionsprings;

Fig. 2 shows a fragmentary View similar to that of F ig. 1 showing thepresser bar disem gaged so that the machine will naturally andautomatically wind a tight spring in which the convolutions are normallyclose together as in the case of a tension spring; d

Fig. 3 shows a vertical section through the machine of Fig. 1, the samewinding a loose turn spring; I

Fig. 4 shows an end view ofthe machine of Fig. 3 with. the operatinghandle removed screws 14'.

1928. seria no. 281,180.

of the arrows;

' Fig. 5 shows a side elevation of a short section of loose turn spring;and

'Fig. 6 showsa side elevation ofa section of tight woundspring. Themachine includes a base block or memher 7 having along its upperportion-a horizontal V-shaped recess or trough 8. This is established bthe side flanges 9 and 10, which,

as shown in *ig. 4, extend at an angle'of substantially with respect toeach other.

The flange 10 is substantially vertical and the flange 9 reachesoutwardly at an angle thereto.

I The flange 10 preferably constitutes a direct upward extension fromthe base block 7 The flange 9 which reaches outwardly at an angle ispreferably reinforced by the end webs 11 and 12 constituting the endportions of the base block itself. Said base block is short.

also provided with the bottom or floorportion 13 which rests on the workbench or table or other support to which itmay be connected in anyconveinent manner as by means of The horizontal V-shapedrecess isintended for the accommodation of the winding arbor 15. The sameconstitutes a section of steel or other hardrod of diameter depending onthe size of the spring which is to be" wound. This rod is rotated inanyconvenient man ner as by means ofa crank 16'having'the handle 17, saidcrank being also provided with a relatively large opening 18 at itsother end which opening accommodates the end portion of the rod. Aset-screw 19 is extended across the opening 18 so as to clamp the rod inplace. By making the opening 18 of large size it is capable ofaccommodating arbors of various diameters within the capacity of themachine.

The arbor is laid along theV-shapedopen ing 8. In order to give a betterjournal sup port for the arbor the side flanges 9 and 10 are preferablycut back in their central portionsso as to leave the end bearing faces20,

21, 22 and 23 which directlyreceive the @011 tact of the arbor itself.

At the crank end there is an adjustable bearingsupport for the arbor.The same includes a \Lshapecl member 24; which is carried by-a stud ortap screw 25? which threads sponding'to the'fianges 9 and 10 of the bodyblock 7. The stud is so positioned that the flanges 25 and 26 come intoline with the flanges 9 and 10 as shown in Fig. et.

stud 32 is perforated in agenerally vertical The block 241 is alsoprovided With an inwardly reaching rectangular lug 27. A U-shapedstrap-iron section 28 having the downwardly depending arms29. andisset over the lug 27 and said strap is somewhat wider than the depth ofthe lug 27 so that when the stud 25 is tightened up the strap arms 29and 30 will be solidly clampedagainst-the body block 7.

The arrangement is such thatwhen the arbor has beenjset into placebeneath the U-shaped strap 28, said strap may be pulled down against thearbor to establish a top bearing for it, whereupon the stud may betightened up.

By the foregoing arrangement it is possible to readily accommodate and.give proper bearing support for arbors of. di'll'erent sizes within thecapacity of the machine.

At the other end of the body block 7 there is v an outwardly projectingboss 31. A threaded pin 32 reaches out from the end of said boss and ahand-wheel 33 is threaded thereon. A pair ofhard steel plates 34,

and 35 .areset' onto the stud 32 and can be clampedtowards each otherunder any desired pressure by the hand-wheel 33. The

direction as shown at 36 so that the spring I wire 37 may be passed upthrough said perforationtothe arbor. In passing through said perforation36 the sprmg wire also passes between the hard plates 3 land 35 by whichit is clamped at that point.

. The end of the arbor-is transversely slotted as shown at 38' in'Figs.1, 2, and 3. At the beginning of the operation the spring wire is passedup through the perforation 36 and through tbe-endslot 38 of the arbor,and

' then the handswheel 33 is tightened up to give the desired amount oftension to the wire. Upon rotation of the handle and .crank the wirewill pull down on the projecting end of" the arbor, but due to theadequate bearing support which the arbor re ceives the wire willbe drawnup and wrapped around the arbor and this operation will continue as longas the arbor is rotated, With this arrangement a tight spring such asshown in Figs. 2 and '6 will be produced since the successiveconvolutions will press drawn lengthwise as it rotates. V

In case it be desired to produce an open 1 turn spring such as shown inFigs. 1,3 and j 5 for a compression spring, use may be made of'a lever39 which is pivoted to a finger 40 on the upper end of the boss 31, bymeans of a stud 4-1. The lever 39 can thus be rocked about the stud 41as a vertical axis. 7

The end 42 of the lever willthen press against the upwardly extendingreach or the wire as clearly evident from Figs. 1 and 3 so that the wiremay be pressedover, and

then as the arbor is rotated and moved endwise the successiveconvolutions will form an open turn spring. lVhen the lever 39 is notbeing used it is turned back more or less into the positionot Fig. 2where it is out of the way. V I

After the proper length of'spring has been wound the arbor may be givena few back;

limit myself thereto except as I may do so in the claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for the purpose'specified comprising in combination body'member having a horizontally extending V-shaped opening for theaccommodation or" an arbor, a V-shaped block at one end of said bodymember, means for drawing said V-shaped block firmly towards the bodymember, a U-shaped strap metal bearing member located between theV-shaped block and the body member and of width to be clamped firmlybetween said parts and serving to establish a top arbor bearing, meansfor rotating the arbor so supported, a horizontallyprojecting stud onthe body member at the other end thereof and beneath the V-shapedopening, a pair of hard metal washers on said stud, the stud beingperforated intermediate between the washers to accommodate the springwire, a hand-wheel threadedonto the stud to bind the washers towardseach other 'atythe position ofthe perforation, a si dewise projectinglug above the position of the stud and adjacent to the V-shaped'opening, and a control lever pivoted on said lug to'swing in ahorizontal plane, substantially asdescribed.

2. A machine for thepurpose specified] comprising 1n combination a bodymember having a horizontally extending V-shaped opening for theaccommodation of an arbor,

a V-shaped block at one end of said-body member, means for drawing saidV-shaped block firmly towards thebody member, a U-shaped strapmetalbearing member'located between the Vj-shaped block and the bodymember; and of width to be clamped firmly between said parts and servingto establish a top arbor bearing, means for rotating the arbor sosupported, a horizontally projecting stud on thebodymember at theother-end thereof and beneath the V-shaped opening, a pair of hard metalwashers on said stud, the stud-being perforated intermediate between thewashers to accommodate the spring wire, and a hand-wheel threaded ontothe stud to bind the washers towards each other at the position of theperforation, substantially as described. I I V 3. A machine for thepurpose specified comprising in combination a body member havin ahorizontally extending V-shaped opening for the accommodation of anarbor, a rest block at one end of the body member, a U-shaped strapmetal bearing member located between the rest block and the body member,means for drawing the rest block towards the body member to therebyclamp the bearing block in place, an arbor resting int-he V-shapedopening and through the'bearing block, means for rotating the'arbor sosupported, a horizontally projecting stud on the other end of the bodymember and beneath 'the V-shap'ed opening, suitable clamping of clampingwashers thereon, means for drawing said washers together to therebyclamp the Wire between them, a lever having one end located at the pathof travel of the wire moving from the clamping washers to the arbor, anda pivotal support for said lever on'the body block, whereby said levermay be used to deflect the wire sidewise during its travel from theclamping washers to the arbor, substantially as described.

5. A machine for the purpose specified comprising in combination a bodymember having a horizontally extending opening with open bearings atboth ends thereof, both of said bearings having their open sides facingin the same general direction, an arbor located in and supported uponsaid open bearings, a driving crank secured to one end of said arbor,removable means for retaining the arbor within the bearing closest andadjacent to said cranln'the arbor overlying the device beyond the otheropenbearing, a

wire tension device secured to the bearing member at the side thereofaway from the direction of the opening of the bearings thereof, wherebythe wire running from said tension device up onto v the overhangingportion of the arbor tends to draw the arbor into comprising incombination a body member having a horizontally extending opening withopen bearings at both ends thereof, both of said bearingshaving theiropen sides facing in the same general direction, an arbor located in andsupported upon said open bearings, a driving crank secured to one end ofsa darbor, removable means for retalning the arbor withinv the bearingclosest and adacent to said crank, the arbor overlylng the the adjacentopen bearing, and a lever piv- Y device beyond the other open bearing, awire tension device secured to the bearing member at the side thereofaway from the direction of the opening of the bearings thereof, where-'by the wire running from said sai-dtension device up onto theoverhanging portion of the arbor tends to draw the arbor into the ad-12106111? open bearing,

substantially as described.

7. A machine for the purpose specified com-v prising in combination abody member, a pair of bearings therein longitudinally separated fromeach other, both of said'bearings being open in the same generaldirection, an arbor located in and supported upon said open bearings, adriving cranksecured to one end of said arbor, removable means forretaining the arborwithin the bearing closest and adjacent to said cank,the arbor overlying the body member beyond the other open bearing andadapted to receive a wire winding upon the overlying portion of thearbor, together with means for tensioning said wire and drawing thearbor to its seat in said open bearing, substantially as described.

HERBERT J. BRAGDON.

